Stiffening cord or tape.



No. 698,879'. Patented Apr. 29, |902.

E. K. WARREN. STlFFEN-ING CORD 0R TAPE..

(Application led Dec. 3, 1900.|

(No Model.)

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@www u UNITED STATES PATENT Ormes;

EDWARD K. W'ARREN, OF TI-IREEOAKS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE WARREN FEATHERBONE COMPANY, OF THREEOAKS, MICHIGAN.

STIFFENING CORD OR TAPE.

SPECIFICATION fomng part of Letters Patent No. 698,879, dated April 29, 1902. Application filed December 3, 1900. Serial No. 38,439. (No model.)

construction of stiening cords or tapes iny which quill substances are utilized.

The object of the invention is primarily anV improvement in the stiening-strand itself, although when strands are assembled they form an improved stiening blade. The strands are improved by utilizing small quills in such a manner that the quill will not need to be split or reduced to fiber, but will be preserved in its natural form, with the enamel portion to the exterior, which of course se*- cures the greatest rigidity for a given weight of the material. The improved structure also utilizes the small-sized quills, as those of the hen and duck or the small feathers of the turkey, which it has not been possible heretofore to do economically. Further objects relating to details will appear in the detailed descrip' tion to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my inventionl by the devices and means described in this specification.

The invention is clearly defined and point-v ed out in the claims.

A structure fully embodying the features of my invention is fully illustrated in the acmakes them into acomplete strand B, as

views, and all of the views are shown considerably enlarged.

Referring to the lettered parts of the drawings, A A A are a series of small quills from which the plumage has been stripped or trimmed and both ends of which have been clipped or cut o. The pith may be bored out by a suitable drill or it may be punched out. The plumage end of the quill is inserted into the hollow end of the next succeeding quill after having rst been dipped into a glue or proper cement, and the small quills are strung together in this way indefinitely after having been prepared as stated. Where a fine quality of cement is used and the parts carefully crowded together, the strand thus made will 65 be complete. The quills when softened and moistened will adhere to each other without cement. However, great care will be required to construct itin this way. So I prefer as these quills are stuck together, asI have indicated, to embrace them with a thread B', which clearly appears in Fig. 2. Several of these strands can then be placed side by side and securely wound together by Wrapping-threads C C, as clearly appears in Fig. 3, and where' more than two strands are thus Wound t0- gether a row of stitches D should extend through the center,= which will hold the wrapping-threads in position exactly according to the method appearing in United States Patent No. 389,888, issued to me on the 25th day of September, 1888. After the strands have been thus assembled they can be utilized as a stiifener Withoutanyfurther treatment. I, however, prefer to treat the blade in the manner described in Letters Patent No. 559,827, issued to myself and Jonas H.V Holden on the l2thday of May, 1896, when the wrapping-threads will be forced into the quill substance, and the quill substance itself will be compressed and attened into a very thin blade of a very superior quality when the light grade of material of which it is made is taken int'o consideration. I also desire to state that the naked strands or the strands as-I show them in Fig. 2 can be incorporated into blades by a braiding-machine, as clearly appears in United States Letters Patent No. 611,298, issued to me on the 29th day of September, 1898,` and the strands can be used also in woven fabrics. Single strands can be used where desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a stiffening material, a strand comprising a series of quills denuded of their plumage, theV plumage end of each quill of the series being inserted and cemented into the hollow end of the next succeeding quill.

2. In a stiffening material, a strand cornprising a series of quills denuded of their plumage, the plumage end of each quill of the series being inserted into the hollow end of the next succeeding quill.

3. In a stiiening material, a strand comprising a series of quills denuded of their plumage, the plumage end of each quill of the series being inserted and cemented 4into the hollow end of the next succeeding quill and a suitable wrapping-thread around the whole.

4. In a stiffening material, a strand comprising a series of quills denuded of their plumage, the plumage end of each quill of the series being inserted into the hollow end of 

